This disclosure relates to monitoring of environmental moisture changes in areas such as the surfaces of liquid tanks or in irrigated soil. It uses fiber optical technology for sensing moisture conditions.
Fiber optic research and implementation has branched out from applications in data communication fields into environmental monitoring applications where the optical fibers are used as sensing elements. Temperature, pressure and strain gauges made from optical fibers are currently being evaluated by various research groups. Most of these sensing elements rely upon an environmental parameter, such as temperature, pressure, or strain, to induce a change in the refractive index of either the cladding or fiber material.
This disclosure has been prompted by a research effort to apply fiber optic technology to the sensing of moisture conditions. It is capable of a wide variety of practical applications. One example might be detection of moisture changes on the surfaces of waste tanks surrounding radioactive waste storage facilities to detect liquid leakage. Agricultural applications for monitoring of irrigation practices are also feasible.